CHAPTER 3 AIR-LAUNCHED GUIDED MISSILES AND GUIDED MISSILE LAUNCHERS Guided missiles are self-propelled objects. After launching, they automatically alter their direction of flight  in  response  to  signals  received  from  outside sources. They usually carry high-explosive charges and are equipped with a means to explode them at or near a target. The majority of guided missiles used in the Navy are essentially rockets that are maneuvered while in flight. AIR-LAUNCHED GUIDED MISSILES LEARNING    OBJECTIVE: Recognize air-launched  guided  missile  classifications. Match  missiles  with  their  range  and  speed. Identify   air-launched   guided   missiles   and recognize the methods used to designate them. Identify   missile   components   to   include guidance   and   control,   armament,   and propulsion  systems.  Identify  the  guided missiles used in the Navy today. The purpose of a guided missile is to reach and destroy or damage its target. The type of target involved influences  the  characteristics  of  the  missile;  however, each missile meets the following basic requirements: It must have sufficient speed to intercept or catch its target. It must be maneuverable in flight to correct its flight path as required to intercept the target. It must be capable of inflicting a satisfactory degree of damage to the target on intercept. It  must  have  an  acceptable  operating  envelope (range/altitude) within which it is effective. It  must  be  capable  of  launching  when  required and at a satisfactory rate. The missile and its components must be safe to handle, store, and use. In general, a typical guided missile has a long, cylindrical shape, with an oval or a hemispherically shaped  nose.  It  is  fitted  with  a  series  of  stabilizing  or maneuvering  fins,  wings,  or  canards  around  its  outer surface. MISSILE  CLASSIFICATION Guided missiles are classified according to their range,  speed,  launch  environment,  mission,  and  vehicle type. Range Long-range  guided  missiles are usually capable of traveling a distance of at least 100 miles.  Short-range guided   missiles  often  do  not  exceed  the  range capabilities  of  long-range  guns.  The  Navy  has air-launched  guided  missiles  that  function  within  these ranges; they are  medium-range  or  extended-range missiles. Speed The speed capability of guided missiles is expressed in Mach numbers. A Mach number is the ratio of the speed of an object to the speed of sound in the medium through which the object is moving. Under standard atmospheric conditions, sonic speed is about 766 miles per hour (Mach 1.0). Guided missiles are classified according to their speed as shown below: Subsonic—Up  to  Mach  0.8 Transonic—Mach  0.8  to  Mach  1.2 Supersonic—Mach  1.2  to  Mach  5.0 Hypersonic—Above  Mach  5.0 When considering the speed of an air-launched guided missile, the speed of the launching aircraft is added to the speed of the missile. For example, if a missile’s speed is Mach 2.5 and the aircraft’s speed, at the time of missile launch, is Mach 2.0, the missile’s speed is Mach 4.5. 3-1